The first real exposure to roller skating to a lot of parents today is when their child is invited to a birthday party at a skating rink. At that party the child rents a pair of skates and their parents either watch them or seek to join them on the rink. From that exposure some children develop a real interest in the sport. Also, some parents decide that this is a sport that they would like to engage in with their children. This article is written for new skaters seeking to learn the sport.

So you decided that you want to roller skate. You don't want to rent them every time you go to a rink. That can get very expensive if you go often. What kind of skates should I purchase for myself and my child? It all depends upon what kind of skating that I want to do. Most people will just want to just use them on the rink. There are many excellent skates available under $100 that will serve you well as you begin this new journey. Whether you are buying for yourself or for your child, stay away from the real cheap skates. They will not give you a good experience and will break down in a short time. In fact some of the cheap ones will start falling apart after you use them a few times. Stay away from the cheap skates that you find at the Big Box stores. Look for some quality brand names over $50 and you won't be disappointed.

Once you get into it you will notice on the rink people who are into jamming. What is jam skating? It borrows form gymnastics, break dancing, hip hop and is an amazing show of balance and athletic ability. The purpose is to change these moves from traditional dancing and do them on roller skates. There probably will be tournaments either at your rink or somewhere nearby for them to showcase their skill. If you are into dancing or other moves associated with that, perhaps you would love to perfect some of those moves on roller skates. Then jam skating is for you!

Another type of roller skating is called derby skating. This kind of roller skating is very entertaining and attracts a sizable crowd. This is a contact sport for men and women. This has grown internationally and is mostly now a women's sport. You won't find derby skating taking place at your local roller skating rink. Roller derby takes place on an oval track and they score points by passing members of the opposing team. They get very physical in the encounters with the opposing team.

Artistic or recreational skating is done on high top boots. Artistic skating involves spins, jumps and dance moves. All competitors are judged on their deportment, flow of movement, harmonious composition, conformity to the music and use of the rink.

So you can see that skating can take many forms. I would suggest that you simply start out on the rink learning to skate. If any of these other types of skating interest you, you can eventually buy some skates that will be appropriate for that sport. Most of all get on some skates and enjoy!

You can find some great skate deals at My Roller Skate World. Check out these links:

As a child I was very fortunate to be given a pair of roller skates. I had no one to teach me how to roller skate. It was just trial and error, but eventually I caught on. Roller skating became something really enjoyable growing up. I now have grandchildren and want them to try skating. You might be a parent or grandparent and perhaps might be looking for the right roller skate for your child. Let me share with you what I have learned.

First of all, you might think that you should buy a cheap pair of skates. Most want to do that for two reasons. First of all, the child will probably grow out of the skates in a year or two at the most! Secondly, you don't know if they will really give it a shot. You don't want expensive skates gathering dust. But if you buy a real cheap pair of skates, your child or grandchild will probably not have a good experience. There is a big difference between a cheap pair and a higher quality pair.

For a child 8 years old and younger I would suggest one of the following skates to consider:

Dominion Espirit - This is one of the most popular skate for younger children. It is an excellent skate and is available in sizes 9 junior and on up. There are very few good quality skates that will come in a 9 junior.

Lenexa Juvenile - Just like the Espirit it is available in either black or white boot and is a quality skate. It begins in size 10 junior and on up.

Madrid Junior - The wheel is just a little bit bigger than the Lenexa 54mm versus 52 mm but a very good choice.

For a child 8 years of age and older I would look at the low top or speed skates. Here are a couple of suggestions:

Bullet - A great selling skate that also has a very nice look. It comes starting in size 1 and up.

GTX 500 - A great choice for a beginner's skate or children and adults. This skate is very popular and you can't go wrong with this skate. It will provide you with a lot of fun.

Vapor 7 - This is the best skate for the money for older children. It starts with size 1. This Pacer skate is an excellent starter with features not available in cheaper skates! It will be difficult to find a starter skate with all the features of this skate. It has padded collar boots, heel stabilizer, and ABEC 7 bearings.

One final concern is the fact that kids grow fast! Why not get one size larger. For example if your child is a 11 junior, why not get them a 12 junior. They can wear an extra pair of socks that will help the skates fit properly.

Every child should learn to skate. Get them a good quality skate (you don't need to break the bank!) and you possibly could be opening a life time sport for your child.

You can find some great skate deals at My Roller Skate World. Check out these links: